MSBL World Series Player Profile: John Lane, Sacramento MSBL
By Steve LaMontia-Carlentini, Director of Communications
John Lane is an MSBL World Series legend. At the age of 74, his World Series resume competes with any participants, past or present. His 35 championship rings nearly require a room addition to the house!
To best set the stage, let’s let MSBL Hall of Fame member, Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and John’s close friend and past president of the Sacramento MSBL, Jim Tygrett-DeNuzzi, make the introductions and lay out the reasoning behind throwing the spotlight John’s way.
“John has been attending the World Series annually since the early 90s (1993). He actually goes back to the Val Lewis and Jerry Karnow days in 1993. John has been a member of the Sacramento MSBL Hall of Fame since 2009.
John is in his early 70s (74) and still competes as young as in the 50-year-old divisions. John was on my 65+ Cactus Division roster in 2024, won a ring, and also won two rings with the LA Athletics, 65+ and 70+ National Divisions, and another ring with the Minnesota Bandits 73’s National Division. He was named the MVP of the Minnesota Bandits 73’s National Division. These are all top-division teams with championship legacies that he plays on.
John has played with the Sacramento Giants, Sacramento Tribe, Sacramento Majic, Sacramento Solons, Sacramento Royals, and L.A. Athletics, all National Division level teams. He plays most exclusively in the National Division. He also usually participates on multiple teams during the World Series.
John is a great teammate, quiet and unassuming, and always displays great sportsmanship on the ballfield. He continues playing as an excellent outfielder and base stealer, while still sliding head-first to this day. There has never been a game where you see John with a clean uniform at the end of any game. John is also very close and good friends with Mike Thatcher, MSBL World Series Hall of Fame inductee.
To top it off, John has participated on 35 World Championship teams and earned 35 MSBL World Series Rings, all while participating at the National Division level. This is a brief description of John’s dedication, ability, character, and MSBL participation. I’m not too sure many World Series players past and present can match John’s resume.”
John is a humble warrior and not one to talk about himself. We asked him to share a brief outline of his life in our great game, and he was kind enough to oblige. Below is a chronological listing of John’s baseball roots and how he became a cherished member of the Sacramento MSBL and an annual participant at the MSBL World Series.
“I have been playing baseball continuously non-stop since the age of 10 years old, which was in 1961,” explained John. “For those of you doing the math, 10 years old to my current 74 years old equals 64 years of running around on the diamond. I have enclosed a brief history of the younger John Lane.”
- Little League All Stars
- Babe Ruth All Stars
- Senior Babe Ruth All Stars
- American Legion and American Legion Allstars – Ventura
- High School JV’s (Buena Ventura High School) 4-AAAA / D-1
- High School Varsity (Buena Ventura High School) 4-AAAA / D-1
- First Team All-League – Varsity (Buena Ventura High School)
- Two years played at Ventura Junior College Baseball…second team All-Western States Conference as a Freshman
- Two years played at Cal State Fullerton / Junior and Senior Year…Senior year played for legendary Cal State Fullerton coach, Augie Garrido